Sunita Rani breaks her silence

Updated: 25 February 2007 08:28 IST

Written by NDTVSports Written by NDTVSports

Read Time : 2-min

New Delhi:

It has been nothing short of a see-saw ride for middle distance runner Sunita Rani ever since she tested positive for the banned substance Nandrolone in the Asian Games in Busan. Both her medals were taken back from her.
However, now with the Olympic Council of Asia officially admitting that there were discrepancies in her dope tests, there seems to be some hope for this athlete. And while Sunita awaits a final clearance, she broke her silence to retell her saga to NDTV.
NDTV: You are the first athlete who will be absolved of doping charges and your medals will also be returned to you. But the last two months have been really difficult for you. Did you ever think you would get your medals back?
Sunita: I had full faith that my medals will be returned to me since I have been saying right from the beginning that I was innocent and that I had not taken any banned substance. I knew my name would be cleared.
NDTV: Athletes like Jyotirmoyee Sikdar had said that stern action should be taken against such athletes. So who really supported you through this?
Sunita: Other than Jyotirmoyee, almost everyone supported me. She was my competitor in the 1998 Asian Games and if there is anyone who can question her, its me because I could have easily won the gold medal then but I let her go on ahead. So she should be grateful to me that a junior athlete did that for her.
NDTV: Though there were discrepancies in the Nandrolone levels, the fact is that Nandrolone was found in your urine samples.
Sunita: I will stick to my stand that I never took any Nandrolone. In fact I had no idea what Nandrolone was. Besides, you know what tests showed, so how can I still be held guilty?
NDTV: You were allowed to play for the National Games, yet you didn't participate. Why?
Sunita: For the past two months I haven't practised at all and besides that I was not in the right frame of mind to take part.
NDTV: What are you plans for next year?
Sunita: The only plans that I have right now are for me to get my medals back and to look ahead to the future and hope to do even better.